VIRGINIA BEACH - After falling 74-70 to then fifth-ranked Virginia Wesleyan to start the season on November 16, the Apprentice School was determined to make the most of a second opportunity against the nationally-ranked Marlins on Saturday. With an impressive second half shooting the basketball, and holding off a late flurry, consider the mission accomplished.
Junior Eric Ruffin scored 19 points to lead four in double figures as the Apprentice School shot 61.5% (32-of-52) from the floor for the game and 72.7% (16-of-22) in the second half in holding off the ninth-ranked Blue Marlins 76-75 at the Batten Center.
The win marks the highest-ranked team the Builders have defeated since a 58-57 win over 14th-ranked St. John Fisher on January 3, 2004. Saturday's victory also snapped a 31-game home court winning streak for the Marlins dating back to November 30, 2005. Ironically enough the streak started with a 98-51 victory over the Builders in December of 2005.
Apprentice School (6-4) held the lead for the majority of the first half but the Marlins never let things get out of hand. The Builders held a five-point lead on four occasions in the first half, the last on a Ruffin jumper with six seconds left to take a 37-32 lead into the locker room.
In the second half the Builders advantage grew to as much as 12 points on two occasions, with the last being on a Jason Arrington jumper with 7:34 left for a 68-56 lead. Virginia Wesleyan, who won the 2006 NCAA Division III national title and was national runner-up last season, had one last run in them. The Marlins went on a 12-2 run over the next 4:12 to cut the lead to 72-68 on a 3-pointer from Norman Hassell. In that run the Marlins closed it with consecutive 3-pointers from Ton Ton Balenga and Hassell in a span of 34 seconds sandwiching a Builder turnover.
Unlike the game in November when the Builders lost a 12-point lead with five minutes left, the Builders held firm and used four points from Antoine Paige to seal the victory. Paige hit a pair of free throws with 1:41 left, then stole an inbounds pass and hit a layup with four seconds left for a 76-72 lead. VWC's D'Juan Tucker hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the 76-75 final.
Arrington was next in scoring for the Builders with 15 points, while Eric Joe added 14 and Paige scored 11. Balenga topped the Marlins with 28 points, including six 3-pointers.
The Builders will now travel to Lexington on Monday for an encounter with Division I Virginia Military Institute. The Keydets were tops in NCAA in scoring last year and are averaging 97 points per game this season.
APPRENTICE SCHOOL 76, #9-VIRGINIA WESLEYAN 75
APPRENTICE SCHOOL (6-4): Spratley 2-3 4-6 8, Ruffin 9-19 0-1 19, Paige 4-7 2-2 11, Arrington 7-11 0-3 15, Washington 0-1 0-0 0, Smith 2-2 2-4 6, Cherry 0-0 0-0 0, Thompson 0-0 0-0 0, Joe 7-8 0-0 14, Johnson 1-1 1-4 3. Totals 32-52 9-20 76.
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN (4-2): Tucker 2-8 1-3 6, Dixon 2-7 1-2 5, Balenga 7-12 8-8 28, Fantin 0-4 4-6 4, Hassell 5-8 1-2 13, Green 0-0 2-2 2, Carlton 2-2 2-5 6, Fields 3-13 2-4 9, Simmons 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 22-55 21-32 75.
Halftime: Apprentice 37-32. 3-point goals: Apprentice 3-11 (Ruffin 1-4, Paige 1-4, Arrington 1-3); VWC 10-26 (Tucker 1-6, Dixon 0-1, Balenga 6-8, Fantin 0-3, Hassell 2-4, Fields 1-4). Rebounds: Apprentice 35 (Spratley, Ruffin 7); VWC 28 (Balenga 7). Total fouls: Apprentice 22, VWC 19. Assists: Apprentice 5 (Paige 3); VWC 10 (Fields 3
